Compare towns
Kittery vs Exeter vs Eliot vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Kittery | Exeter | Eliot | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,473 |
16,151 |
7,146Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.